Strengthening Governance and Development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Today UNDP and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa signed a partnership agreement to strengthen governance and development in KP.

UNDP’s programme strategy in Pakistan is focused on Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, given the disproportionate incidence of development challenges facing these areas.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province UNDP will work on initiatives both at the institutional and community levels. The institutional support for the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to bring long term changes in government rules, norms and structures - while the community development interventions aim to achieve immediate results in improving livelihoods and basic services for communities.

Today Mr. Haoliang Xu, United Nations Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific said at the signing ceremony, “We will seek to help the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa make the best use of its significant strengths and resources.The most effective route to development is through working with, and strengthening, existing structures rather than creating parallel ones.”

UNDP and the Chief Minister discussed the current development challenges and opportunities outlined in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s 2013 Strategic Development Partnership Framework. Mr. Xu said, “We need to put international reforms in a national context. UNDP is committed to effectively supporting the KP Government in the implementation of its reform agenda.”

Mr. Xu also boarded the Mobile Court bus and met H.E. Dost Muhammad Khan, Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court. The Chief Justice said “Our Partnership with UNDP has delivered a great service to the people of this country.” He appreciated UNDP’s support in strengthening rule of law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As part of UNDP’s Strengthening Rule of Law Project, Mr Xu also visited the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial academy with Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Director General Judicial Academy Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. UNDP is supporting the judicial academy in enhancing institutional capacity development through a mediation centre, research wing and training facility for judges and court staff. The academy is helping institutionalize the system of alternate dispute resolution.

UNDP works with communities and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to help them achieve the Millennium Development Goals by finding innovative, sustainable development solutions and fostering resilience and recovery from crises and conflicts. UNDP is also building capacity to better support the provincial governments in the post-18th amendment setting.

In view of current development challenges and opportunities outlined by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the Strategic Development Partnership Framework 2013, UNDP will support evidence-based policies and legislative work and service delivery at the provincial level. In particular, UNDP will strengthen democratic institutions through electoral processes and parliamentary development; support provincial strategies and action plans that catalyze growth and development and reduce inequalities; build resilience of vulnerable communities through disaster risk reduction as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation; and support stabilization, livelihood development and rehabilitation initiatives in disaster and crisis affected communities.